Can a simple manhole cover cause millions in damages? Yes, if a Formula 1 car passes over it at over 300 km/h. Despite securing the second position in qualifying, Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz has not yet accepted the penalty he received yesterday, following the frightening incident that occurred in the first free practice session, forcing the Ferrari mechanics to work overtime to enable him to participate in the second practice session.
Carlos Sainz Accident: Ferrari Forced to Spend Astronomical Figures to Repair Damage on the SF23
“What happened in the first free practice session is unacceptable,” declared a furious Frederic Vasseur at the beginning of the weekend, commenting on the incident involving Carlos Sainz in FP1. “We have completely damaged the chassis, the power unit, and the battery. Carlos won’t be able to take part in FP2. Unacceptable, truly.”
Thanks to the two and a half hours of delay, necessary to remedy the manhole cover issue, Carlos Sainz managed to participate in the second free practice session thanks to the great work of the Ferrari mechanics, although the frustration lingers.
The Spaniard, despite narrowly missing the pole in the Las Vegas qualifying, cannot come to terms with the decision made by the FIA to impose a 10-place grid penalty for tomorrow’s Grand Prix, which will see him start from the twelfth position.
“There was clearly a safety issue on the circuit,” said the Spaniard, still visibly frustrated about the penalty received after the FP1 incident. “That issue destroyed my car. My mechanics had to invest five hours to put together a completely new car.”
“Furthermore, we received a 10-place grid penalty for something we have nothing to do with. I am simply disappointed. At the same time, I am not surprised, because this year there have been many cases where I believe the sport has shown that it can do much better.”
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
The regret increases when we include Charles Leclerc in the equation, with Ferrari having to defend against Max Verstappen‘s attacks without having a second front, which would have undoubtedly been very useful in terms of victory.
As if that weren’t enough, the total calculation of the damages suffered by the SF23, according to some estimates, would amount to approximately 1.5 million euros, excluding the Power Unit. Thus, the frustration and anger of Frédéric Vasseur are even more justified, as both the team and the driver were absolutely blameless.
Source: f1ingenerale
Leave a Reply